Bahamas - People are shooting each other for food and water.

[spencer60]

The way I see it is the government of a country has an obligation to help its citizens, but other countries certainly don't.

If the private citizens of other countries want to help that's fine, but it's also voluntary.

If a foreign government (in this case the US) starts providing assistance then it's forcing its citizens to participate, which isn't it's job. In fact it's probably getting in the way of the (far more efficient) private companies and charities helping out.

That may seem harsh (it isn't, most assistance still comes from private citizens as it should) but while disasters like this are pretty clear cut do you really want the government able to spend money like water because it determines something is a 'disaster'?

 

[LARGO9]

 

[Barbwire]

We help because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

 

[BanjoJohn]

That looks like crude and I believe those lids be gone.

 

[LARGO9]

Those tanks probably have diesel or gasoline in them.
Some tanks have a floating roof that rises and falls, depending on the fuel level.

A major oil storage terminal on Grand Bahama Island was damaged by Hurricane Dorian and has leaked oil into the surrounding environment, raising concern that the oil could damage local reefs and wildlife.

The South Riding Point facility sits on the shore of the island's eastern side and is home to 10 giant storage tanks capable of holding up to 6.75 million barrels of crude, according to Equinor, the company that runs the facility.

When Dorian struck Grand Bahama late Sunday, the terminal had 1.8 million barrels on site, according to Erik Haaland, a spokesperson for Equinor.

 

[Jack506]

The way I see it is the government of a country has an obligation to help its citizens, but other countries certainly don't.

If the private citizens of other countries want to help that's fine, but it's also voluntary.

If a foreign government (in this case the US) starts providing assistance then it's forcing its citizens to participate, which isn't it's job. In fact it's probably getting in the way of the (far more efficient) private companies and charities helping out.

That may seem harsh (it isn't, most assistance still comes from private citizens as it should) but while disasters like this are pretty clear cut do you really want the government able to spend money like water because it determines something is a 'disaster'?

exactly!

 

[Don231s]

FY 2019 budget for USAID is $16.8 billion. FY 2020 is $19.2 billion. These funds are not allocated on a whim. There are many reasons why we are not an isolationist nation. This is an excellent and quick read as to why we involve ourselves financially in world. https://www.usaid.gov/cj

If you don't want the US to provide assistance to other countries, I suggest you contact your representatives.

 

[spencer60]

I don't and I tell them that often, but they don't seem to be listening.

I see absolutely no reason for the US government to give taxpayer money to other governments. At best it's bribery and at worst blatant corruption on both sides.

 

[webicknell]

I don't and I tell them that often, but they don't seem to be listening.

I see absolutely no reason for the US government to give taxpayer money to other governments. At best it's bribery and at worst blatant corruption on both sides.

FYI... we give most countries aid of one kind or another... And it is all taxpayer money...

More than two hundred countries receive U.S. aid. It disproportionately goes to a few, however, with the top five all receiving over $1 billion per year as of 2016: Iraq ($5.3 billion), Afghanistan ($5.1 billion), Israel ($3.1 billion), Egypt ($1.2 billion), and Jordan ($1.2 billion).

 

[BanjoJohn]

FYI... we give most countries aid of one kind or another... And it is all taxpayer money...

More than two hundred countries receive U.S. aid. It disproportionately goes to a few, however, with the top five all receiving over $1 billion per year as of 2016: Iraq ($5.3 billion), Afghanistan ($5.1 billion), Israel ($3.1 billion), Egypt ($1.2 billion), and Jordan ($1.2 billion).

And that doesn't include the pallets of cash that Obama/Hillary gave out.